Raven’s RV
The ongoing education and adventures of two rank newbie RVers

Dec 1, 2007

Locke, California for RVers

Filed in Cities

The basics

This was a day out from Lodi. It’s a tiny little town that is absolutely not suitable for an RV. The Delta road (county road J-11) is reasonable, though there may be weight restrictions and I didn’t see any trucks coming this way. There are a few fairly sharp turns. I would guess that small to medium rigs without toads would be okay down here, but check first.

Here’s what we did in Locke.

Here’s a map of Locke, CA US.

Parking at Locke is another matter altogether. There is a parking lot on the entrance side of Locke but you would then have to negotiate a very narrow street designed for horses and pedestrians and a sharp right-hand turn to leave. There is limited street-side parking for motorcycles and cars. Anything much larger than a VW bus would likely not make it: bring your toad. This town is biker-friendly so long as you don’t pull stupid stunts and keep the revs down.

Locke is on Sacramento County Road 13, which can be reached from I-5. Since numbered signs are sparse, follow signs for Walnut Grove instead. Locke is only a mile or so after you exit Walnut Grove and is easily missed.

Food and Drink

There are two restaurants downtown. Al the Wop’s is an eclectic biker-bar/no-frills diner with a simple menu and huge portions. Be sure to check the ceiling as you walk in. There is also a Chinese restaurant, Locke Garden, at the far end of Main Street.

What to do

Eat, wander along the street looking at the marvelous old buildings, and visit the museum. Shop in the antiques and bric-a-brac stores. This is the kind of place where shops are open when the vendors feel like it. You can get postcards in various places, including the museum. The Chinese school building is also a free museum.

Campgrounds

There are a great many campgrounds in this region, but the closest are in Isleton.

Delta Bay Club Marina RV Park
922 West Brannon Island Road, Isleton
(916) 777-5588
Vieira’s Resort
15476 State Highway 160, Isleton
(916) 777-6661

A very brief history of Locke

Locke was built in 1915 when the nearby Chinatown in Walnut Grove was burnt down. The Chinese-Americans came here to work the railroads and, later, build the levees. They needed somewhere to live, approached landowner George Locke, and the town of Locke is the result.